east moriches: school voters guide 2008

VOTING 1 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at East Moriches Elementary School. THE BUDGET The district is proposing a budget of $23,404,906 for the school year, an increase of 3.87 percent over the current $22,533,640 budget.

[changeEMoriches schools]

Since 2005:

1)You have borrowed $2,000,000 to cover your school district’s overspending;
2)You are now spending $53,000 a year in interest to borrow that money, for the next ten years;
3)The new building your BOE said would receive over 55/60/65/70% state aid (you pick one), instead receives less than 45%, with the rest paid for by you;
4)The leadership of the BOE last year told you that you should have been paying even more in taxes than you were, and actually posted this message to you on the school website;
5)You paid over $7,500 each for over thirty 42” flat-panel televisions in the elementary school;
6)You have stared at empty and useless portable classroom buildings left to neglect at the middle school;
7)The district has identified no less than seven leaks in the roof of the middle school.
8)You have been told to be patient, wait for the merger study, not make hasty decisions, and to listen to facts, not fiction.

Since 2005, blame for the problems in East Moriches have been placed on:

1)The New York State Education Department
2)The NYS Comptroller’s Office
3)Dr. John Roche
4)Ms. Allyn Leeds
5)The Town of Brookhaven Assessor’s Office
6)The Center Moriches UFSD
7)The Governor of New York
8)The NYS Senate and Assembly

Since last year:

1)You were told you would get the right to vote on high school choice, then some on the BOE tried to take that vote away, then when you got it you were told to vote “no” if you meant yes and vice versa. The results, they say, were unequivocal;
2)You were told to wait for the merger study, then when the details of the merger study came out, you were told to not believe it, after every single member of the BOE voted to hire the firm who conducted the study;
3)You were told that negotiations with Westhampton Beach were taking place to reduce tuition at least for Special Education, and the results of those efforts of the BOE leadership went nowhere;
4)You were told that maybe we could merge with Westhampton Beach, so as not to rush into a merger vote with Center Moriches;
5)You are now told that a new taxing authority, the Westhampton Beach Central High School District, requiring special legislation and the approval of voters in WHB to give up their high school, is a real possibility and not to rush to judgment;
6)It has been shown that the merger study is indeed flawed, since it predicted a tax levy increase for East Moriches in 2008-09 of 4.5%, when we have proposed a tax levy that is 75% HIGHER than that at 7.92%, while Center Moriches has proposed a 2008-09 tax levy that is 3.88%, or 30% LOWER than the projected tax levy increase of 4.7% found in the merger study.

Now we know. The vision put forth is to wait until 2012, when high school enrollment is lower, and relief will then be in site. If we would only wait, then everything will be better.

It is time for a change. You and your children are not better off than they were in 2005, or 2002, or 1999. It is time to give your children and their teachers a better program with tools and technology that keeps them current with their less-taxed peers. It is time to say to the taxpayer there is a better way to use fewer of your dollars, for the better of everyone in our community.

It is time for a change. Voting on this budget leaves you no options. To vote no leaves the great possibility of a contingent budget higher than the one you rejected. To vote yes leaves your tax rate 8% higher. You have no choice like the choices the BOE majority asks you to maintain.

It is time for a change. There is another way. A process of inclusion for all parties, without prejudice, bias or disrespect. Reject the politics of fear, and embrace the potential of a new reality, one that benefits every person in East Moriches.

[changeEMoriches schools]

Are you or your K-8 child better off now than you were three years ago? Six years ago? Nine years ago?

Since 2005, the East Moriches school district tax rate has increased over 36%.
Since 2002, the East Moriches school district tax rate has increased over 52%.
Since 1999, the East Moriches school district tax rate has increased over 68%.

The tax rate is East Moriches exceeds 15 of the 19 school districts in the Town of Brookhaven.

In 2005, your child:

1)Could have played an instrument in a band in 4th grade;
2)Could have played on a 7th grade sports team;
3)Could have enjoyed a full K-4 library program integrated with their classroom curriculum;
4)Could have had a security person supervise their entry and exit from school, and protected their buildings at night;
5)Could have chosen French or Spanish as a foreign language;
6)Had the benefit of a full-time elementary school Principal;
7)Had the benefit of an after-school late bus from elementary school, middle school and high school;
8)Had the opportunity to take worthwhile field trips in every grade level, to places like Computer Associates, Bethpage Restoration Village, Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo and Medieval Times;
9)Had the benefit of learning from a textbook that in most cases was three years younger than it is now;
10) Used computers that were three years younger than they are now;
11) Had access to more teachers offering more courses than they do now.

[changeEMoriches schools]

Since 2005, you and your child have not:

1)Had access to homework and assignments on-line;
2)Had wireless networking technology, upgraded software and hardware, or Smartboard® integration into their curriculum;
3)Had an introduction to foreign language in years K-5;
4)Had physical education instruction on a weekly basis at the kindergarten grade-level;
5)Had a strings program for any grade level.

Since 2005:

1)You have borrowed $2,000,000 to cover your school district’s overspending;
2)You are now spending $53,000 a year in interest to borrow that money, for the next ten years;
3)The new building your BOE said would receive over 55/60/65/70% state aid (you pick one), instead receives less than 45%, with the rest paid for by you;
4)The leadership of the BOE last year told you that you should have been paying even more in taxes than you were, and actually posted this message to you on the school website;
5)You paid over $7,500 each for over thirty 42” flat-panel televisions in the elementary school;
6)You have stared at empty and useless portable classroom buildings left to neglect at the middle school;
7)The district has identified no less than seven leaks in the roof of the middle school.
8)You have been told to be patient, wait for the merger study, not make hasty decisions, and to listen to facts, not fiction.

Since 2005, blame for the problems in East Moriches have been placed on:

1)The New York State Education Department
2)The NYS Comptroller’s Office
3)Dr. John Roche
4)Ms. Allyn Leeds
5)The Town of Brookhaven Assessor’s Office
6)The Center Moriches UFSD
7)The Governor of New York
8)The NYS Senate and Assembly

[changeEMoriches schools]

Since last year:

1)You were told you would get the right to vote on high school choice, then some on the BOE tried to take that vote away, then when you got it you were told to vote “no” if you meant yes and vice versa. The results, they say, were unequivocal;
2)You were told to wait for the merger study, then when the details of the merger study came out, you were told to not believe it, after every single member of the BOE voted to hire the firm who conducted the study;
3)You were told that negotiations with Westhampton Beach were taking place to reduce tuition at least for Special Education, and the results of those efforts of the BOE leadership went nowhere;
4)You were told that maybe we could merge with Westhampton Beach, so as not to rush into a merger vote with Center Moriches;
5)You are now told that a new taxing authority, the Westhampton Beach Central High School District, requiring special legislation and the approval of voters in WHB to give up their high school, is a real possibility and not to rush to judgment;
6)It has been shown that the merger study is indeed flawed, since it predicted a tax levy increase for East Moriches in 2008-09 of 4.5%, when we have proposed a tax levy that is 75% HIGHER than that at 7.92%, while Center Moriches has proposed a 2008-09 tax levy that is 3.88%, or 30% LOWER than the projected tax levy increase of 4.7% found in the merger study.

Now we know. The vision put forth is to wait until 2012, when high school enrollment is lower, and relief will then be in site. If we would only wait, then everything will be better.

It is time for a change. You and your children are not better off than they were in 2005, or 2002, or 1999. It is time to give your children and their teachers a better program with tools and technology that keeps them current with their less-taxed peers. It is time to say to the taxpayer there is a better way to use fewer of your dollars, for the better of everyone in our community.

It is time for a change. Voting on this budget leaves you no options. To vote no leaves the great possibility of a contingent budget higher than the one you rejected. To vote yes leaves your tax rate 8% higher. You have no choice like the choices the BOE majority asks you to maintain.

It is time for a change. There is another way. A process of inclusion for all parties, without prejudice, bias or disrespect. Reject the politics of fear, and embrace the potential of a new reality, one that benefits every person in East Moriches.

[confused in EMO]

Mr. Grunseich states that he is interested in the possibility of creating a "centralized high school with Westhampton Beach".(which would never be approved by the voters of WHB as it would raise their taxes) while his signs state Grunseich for "choice." Which one is it going to be Gary? You can't BS the voters any longer. It is either one way or the other. Stop with the double talk...you are starting to sound like a seasoned politician. Your integrity is at stake. Pick one side of the issue and go with it.

[CHOICE LIVES]

Vote on merger rejected by EM BOE 11/19/08

EM officials cite issues with study

Side notes:

The new BOE member elected last spring supported HS choice

The EM voters won vote to to keep HS choice AGAIN.

[Tired]

I am tired of the double talk and waiting game. The first persons posts were right on the money. There needs to be a vision for the future and not these dreams. Mr. Grunseich just last month talked about laptops for our 8th graders. What alternate universe is he living on?